Hoarding

3: 180 and they should not think – they who niggardly cling to all that God has granted them out of His bounty – that this is good for them: nay, tit is bad for them. That to which they niggardly cling will, on the Day of Resurrection, be hung about their necks: for unto God [alone] belongs the heritage of the heavens and of the earth; and God is aware of all that you do.

Sura-7 [ Al Araf mecca 39]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

وَنَادَى أَصْحَابُ الأَعْرَافِ رِجَالاً يَعْرِفُونَهُمْ بِسِيمَاهُمْ...

7:48. The men on the heights will call to certain men whom they will know from their marks,

...قَالُواْ مَا أَغْنَى عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾

saying: "Of what profit to you were you hoards and your arrogant ways?

C1027. This speech is in three parts:

1. the last lines of this verse are addressed to the Companions of the Fire, reminding them (as a bench of judges might speak to a prisoner) of the futility of their wealth and riches and arrogance in their earthly life:

2. the second part, in the first half of verse 49, recalls to their minds how false was their contempt of the good but lowly men who are now to be the inheritors of heaven: and

3. the latter part of verse 49, "enter ye the Garden" is addressed to the Blessed, to give them a welcome to their state of felicity.

Other versions:

7: 48 [al-Araf, Mecca 39 ]

Asad And they who .....faculty of discernment :What has your amassing [of wealth] availed you, and all the false pride of your past?

Yusuf Ali The men on the heights will call to certain men whom they will know from their marks saying: "Of what profit to you were you hoards and your arrogant ways?

Pickthall And the dwellers on the Heights call unto men whom they know by their marks, (saying): What did your multitude and that in which ye took your pride avail you?

Transliteration Wa na_da_ asha_bul a'ra_fi rija_lay ya'rifu_nahum bi sima_hum qa_lu_ ma_ agna_ 'ankum jam'ukum wa ma_ kuntum tastakbiru_n(a).

[ Ali’s note: 1027 This speech is in three parts: (1) the last lines of this verse are addressed to the Companions of the Fire, reminding them (as a bench of judges might speak to a prisoner) of the futility of their wealth and riches and arrogance in their earthly life:]

7: 50 And the inmates of the fire will call out unto the inmates of paradise: “Pour some water upon us,......will reply: “Verily, God has denied both to those who have denied the truth-“ Ali

7: 46-47 Between them shall be a veil, and on the Heights will be men who would know each by his marks...........Ali

7: 48 The men on the Heights ..........”Of what profit to you were your hoards and your arrogant ways?” Ali

Sura-9 [Al Tauba medina 113]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ...   

9:34.  O ye who believe!

إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ...

there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in false hood devour the substance of men

C1291. Bil-batili: in falsehood. i.e., by false means, pretences, or in false or vain things.

This was strikingly exemplified in the history of Mediaeval Europe. Though the disease is apt to attack all peoples and organizations at all times. Priests got rich by issuing indulgences and dispensations; they made their office a stepping stone to worldly power and possessions.

Even the Monastic Orders, which took vows of poverty for individuals grew rich with corporate property, until their wealth became a scandal, even among their own nations.

...وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...

and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.

...وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...

And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah:

C1292. Misuse of wealth, property, and resources is frequently condemned, and in three ways:

1.      do not acquire anything wrongfully or on false pretences;

2.     do not hoard or bury or amass wealth for its own sake but use it freely for good, whether for yourself or for your neighbors; and

3.     be particularly careful not to waste it for idle purposes, but only so that it may fructify for the good of the people.

...فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿٣٤﴾

announce unto them a most grievous penalty.

يَوْمَ يُحْمَى عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَى بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ...   

9:35.  On the day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs,

C1293. Gold and silver, symbolizing wealth which these people cherished even more than the good pleasure of their Lord, will not only be the cause but the instrument whereby they would receive a grievous punishment. (Ed.).

...هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ ...

"This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves:

C1294. The voice enforces the moral:

"did you expect satisfaction or salvation from the treasures that you misused?

Behold! they add to your torment!"

Asad’s Version:

9: 34

Asad O you who have attained to faith! Behold, many of the rabbis and monks do indeed wrongfully devour men’s possessions and turn away from the path of God. But as for all who lay up treasures of gold and silver and do not spend them for the sake of God(note 51) – give them the tiding of grievous suffering

Yusuf Ali O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites who in falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty.

Pickthall O ye, who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom.

Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ inna kasiram minal ahba_ri war ruhba_ni laya'kulu_na amwa_lan na_si bil ba_tili wa yasuddu_na 'an sabililla_h(i), wallazina yaknizu_naz zahaba wal fiddata wa la_ yunfiqu_naha_ fi sabililla_h(i), fa basysyirhum bi 'aza_bin alim(iy);

[ Asad’s note 51: Most probably this is, in the first instance, an allusion to the wealth of the Jewish and Christian communities, and their misuse of this wealth. Some of the commentators, however, are of the opinion that the reference is wider, ……]

[ Ruby’s note: Here the example is given that of the Jews and Christians, because at that time they were the ones with wealth, however this example merely conveys the seriousness of the action of amassing and hoarding of wealth and not spending in the path of God doing good work.]

9: 35

Asad on the Day when that shall be heated in the fire of hell and their foreheads and their sides and their backs branded therewith, “These are the treasures which you have laid up for yourselves! Taste, then your hoarded treasures!”

Yusuf Ali On the day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of hell and with it will be branded their foreheads their flanks and their backs "this is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye then the (treasures) ye buried!"

Pickthall On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.

Transliteration Yauma yuhma_ 'alaiha_ fi na_ri jahannama fa tukwa_ biha_ jiba_huhum wa junu_buhum wa zuhu_ruhum, ha_za_ ma_ kanaztum li anfusikum fa zu_qu_ ma_ kuntum taknizu_n(a).